PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Dom Cruz (ranked 593 p4p, 31 weight class) and Tom Thomas (ranked 638 p4p, 32 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cruz
vs
Thomas

172 cm
26
144 lbs
13 - 6 - 0

160 cm
25
140 lbs
13 - 4 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Dauntless
RAGS of a RONIN

Evil Empire Nutrition - 160Q $150
RAGS of a RONIN

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dom Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Tom Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, John Roberts and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thomas ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Cruz slips a jab and a cross from Thomas.
Cruz fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Thomas avoids it really well and circles away.
Thomas defending well as Cruz loads up on a big left hand.

Cruz decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Cruz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Thomas defending well though.

Cruz is working for a kimura but Thomas is defending it quite comfortably.
Thomas wants to improve his position but Cruz is controlling well.
Cruz throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cruz lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Thomas has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Cruz connects with a nice short shot to Thomas's temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz lands with a punch from half guard.
Cruz throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cruz takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Thomas is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Thomas is trying to stand up here but Cruz is controlling him well.
Cruz lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Cruz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Thomas defending well though.
Thomas is looking to improve his position.
Thomas avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Cruz.

Cruz is trying to work for a kimura but Thomas is defending well.

Cruz is working for a kimura but Thomas is defending it quite comfortably.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is trying to control the action in half guard but Thomas is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Cruz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Thomas defending well though.

Cruz is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Thomas is just riding it out for now. Cruz eventually gives up the hold.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Cruz seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Cruz prevents Thomas from standing back up.
Cruz thows a huge punch but Thomas dodges it nicely.
Thomas taking some punishment here, with Cruz in his half guard.
Thomas is looking to escape.
Thomas is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Cruz scores with a couple of nice shots.
Cruz working the head and body with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Thomas is trying to stand.
Thomas is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

Cruz is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Thomas defends it well.
The fighters are battling for position here. Thomas manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Thomas avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cruz with a nice head shot there.
Thomas is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cruz is controlling him.
Cruz lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Thomas tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Cruz postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Cruz scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to free his leg and advance position but Thomas is retaining full guard.
Cruz with a flurry of punches that miss.

Cruz has gone for a leg lock! Thomas slips out almost immediately though and dives into Cruz's guard.

Cruz is looking for a triangle but Thomas pushes his legs off easily.
Cruz keeping full guard, as Thomas tries to pass.
Thomas wants to stand but Cruz is controlling his posture from full guard.
Cruz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Cruz is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Cruz scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dom Cruz dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A looping hook to the body misses from Cruz. Thomas does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cruz is looking to clinch.
Cruz is looking to clinch.
Thomas takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Thomas prevents a takedown attempt there.

Thomas breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cruz misses with an uppercut. Thomas saw that one coming.
Dom Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz moves in looking to clinch but Thomas pushes him off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz misses with a right hand
and Thomas counters with a left to the body.
Nice uppercut lands for Thomas. That snapped Cruz's head back.
Cruz misses with a body shot
and Thomas counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Cruz shoots in but Thomas avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz throws a lazy head kick
and Thomas counters with a nice uppercut.
Cruz with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Cruz swings away with a body shot that misses
and Cruz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Cruz is rocked!
Cruz tries to clinch but Thomas moves away
and Thomas cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Oh Cruz is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Thomas displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cruz throws out the jab.
Thomas looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Cruz swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Cruz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Cruz misses with a double jab
and Thomas counters with a big right hand! Oh Cruz is in trouble here! Thomas follows up with more strikes and that's it! The ref has stopped it!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:35 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Tom Thomas!
After winning the bout, Tom Thomas thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.